Chris McCuaig is heading off to the U.S. Open this weekend. He's going as a fan this time around.

Next year? Who knows?

McCuaig is the reigning Ottawa Valley Golf Association champ in both its stroke and match-play competitions, and sandwiched in there was a victory in the Tournament of Champions which brings together all the region's club champs.

The 29-year-old out of the Hunt Club is playing about the best golf of his life, and that includes a short-lived shot at being a touring pro four and five years ago.

"I think it's just a matter of being calm and letting it happen. I think mentally I'm a lot stronger. I can still play well when I'm not feeling great," he said. "I hardly practise and I say that only because I just love to spend my time playing.

''The hardest thing was not being able to play competitive golf for the two years while I waited to get my amateur status back. I'm just loving it right now."

He'll love this weekend, too. He now works for Royal Lepage Commercial Real Estate and won a trip to Shinnecock Hills in conjunction with another company. He's getting flown down to New York, treated to dinner, some golf and the final round tomorrow.

It's a long shot, but maybe next year he'll be a competitor.

"I was going to try and qualify (for the U.S. Open) this year, but with work, the schedule didn't work out," McCuaig said.

He plans on trying to qualify for both the Canadian Amateur in Montreal and the U.S. Mid-Am this year.

To top it off, he'll marry Carole Ann Rodgers in September.

Where else would the reception be but at the Hunt Club?

HEAR AND THERE: The first event on the Cisco System Junior Challenge Tour goes today at Iroquois ... Tom Hossfeld of Rivermead won the OVGA's Mid-Amateur (ages 40-50) with a 71 at the Brockville Country Club. That was one better than Rick St-Denis of Vieux Moulins and two better than John Lachance of Hylands. Tops in the handicap divisions were Tom Moran of Brockville with a 76 in the 6-9 division followed by Bob Lefebvre of Vieux Moulins (77) and Peter Duffy of Arnprior (78). The 10-13 division was topped by John Major of Rideau Glen with an 82, followed by John Ackerman of Brockville (84) and Robin Smith of Pembroke (87). Pierre Seguin of Nationview and Les Toll of Poplar Grove tied atop the 14-19 class with 86 ... Gatineau native Claudia Beachesne, Jennifer Layman of Pembroke and Lanie Cahill of Brockville are competing at the third event on the BMO Financial Group Canadian Women's Tour on Monday and Tuesday at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club.

JUNIOR ROUNDUP: Ottawa's Vanessa Stol, 15, won her first CJGA event of the season with rounds of 86 and 87 at a Lipton Brisk Canada Cup qualifier last weekend in Sainte-Sophie, Que. Ryan Sevigny, 15, of Stittsville was second in the boys' 14-16 division. He was six shots behind Simon Tartre of Laval, Que. ... Patrick Sears of Kanata, 17, has made the field for the CJGA's Eastern Canadian Junior Championship July 6-8 at King's Riding Golf Club in King City ... Carleton Golf and Yacht Club pro Graham Gunn won the Quebec PGA Daito Golf Classic in Boucherville Wednesday with his second-straight 68 ... Brittany Henderson of Smiths Falls earned top spot in the girls' 12-13 division at the Optimist International Junior Championships qualifier last Sunday at Eagle Creek. She had an 86. Other qualifiers were Jordan McMahon (78 in boys' 12-13); Steve Knapp (77 in boys' 14-15); Joey Brown (75 in boys' 16-18); Megan Zalewski (101 in girls' 14-15); and Emily Milito (81 in girls' 16-18). They advance to the Central Ontario District qualifier in Caledon tomorrow. The International, in which the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson competed as juniors, will be held July 22-Aug.1 at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.